The African and Chinese goose thread!!

[Chaneys Ranch]

It is with a sad heart that I announce that Sissy, our favorite goose several days ago. Here she is with David . We hatched her 2 years ago and she really bonded with us. She was blind in one eye, but got along well.She hatched out 5 goslings last year, but had not laid an egg yet this year. We suspect that she might have had a stroke last week. Perhaps another one did her in last night. RIP Sissy girl.

I am so sorry. I know how painful a loss is, we lost Mama goose last fall, no reason or clue as to why. She passed during the night. There are some you just bond more to, and I loved her very much.

Quote: Congrats on the ducklings!
The gander...I really am not sure what his outcome will be. We have several more gander than geese, and he is not near what his brother is as far as protecting his flock. Most of the birds except my geese are meant to feed our family. I may rehome this guy so DH doesn't put him in the freezer. He has even attacked DH, he is a backbiter, then runs away.

Heavy wet snow here south of Pueblo, CO. My lil flock found it interesting..these are still babies..but sure are grown up.
They wait at the main gate for me to put them to bed , in their house, every nite!



Note the drag in the snow marks from Pekin duck! But she just keeps up with them ..




Supposed to be in the 70's by Friday..Gotta love Colorado!

Love those faces! Hope the weather balances out soon for you.

I just got a couple of new goslings and was wondering if they are African or Chinese? Photos here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/885523/what-breed-are-these-goslings

I have a few like your speckled one. What breeds hatched them? My speckled are coming from Embden and african mostly. Embden have some gray as chicks, but will feather as white. Chinese are white or grey. Same for african, but its rare to get a white african.

 

[goingducks]

Help our geese and runner duck have gone rogue!! They have discovered the big part of our creek (they use to swim in a little puddle off the side of creek) Everything was fine they would go in and swim we would go over there to see them and they would come out and start talking to us and they would still follow us around. But yesterday they stayed in the creek all day and swam with the wild mallards I went down to the creek after I got home to say hi and they ignored me! Then when it was time to put them up for the night they wouldn't come out of the water. We went down there six times over 2 hours trying to get them to come up but they just snubbed us. We have tried to find a treat they like earlier we tried strawberries, watermelon, lettuce, and banana but they never wanted any snacks they just wanted to eat the grass so we can't even try to lure them out of the water with a snack. Any suggestions on how to get them out of the creek to get locked up at night. We have lost other animals to predators before and don't want to lose them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Help our geese and runner duck have gone rogue!! They have discovered the big part of our creek (they use to swim in a little puddle off the side of creek) Everything was fine they would go in and swim we would go over there to see them and they would come out and start talking to us and they would still follow us around. But yesterday they stayed in the creek all day and swam with the wild mallards I went down to the creek after I got home to say hi and they ignored me! Then when it was time to put them up for the night they wouldn't come out of the water. We went down there six times over 2 hours trying to get them to come up but they just snubbed us. We have tried to find a treat they like earlier we tried strawberries, watermelon, lettuce, and banana but they never wanted any snacks they just wanted to eat the grass so we can't even try to lure them out of the water with a snack. Any suggestions on how to get them out of the creek to get locked up at night. We have lost other animals to predators before and don't want to lose them.

Looks to me someone is going to have to go in the water, herd them out and into their pen. and keep them there if you don't want to lose them. Having 2 or 3 helpers may help you get them to their pen once you get them on shore.

 

[RiverRiser11]

Last fall a family friend dropped off two African Geese, male and female, at our house! I was thrilled, but really have no idea what I'm getting into. The goose randomly starting laying eggs in the middle of winter, which I quickly gathered. I live in Wisconsin and this past winter was not a nice one! I have a two room chicken coop. I have recently added 11 baby chicks to my flock, and put them in one room where the other 4 chickens (1 rooster and 3 hens) can see them. So that left the other room for the chickens to roost and lay in their boxes on the wall, and my 5 ducks and 2 geese to sleep at night. But since I moved the adult birds into one room, my geese do no go in at night. I think its because they are afraid of the rooster, who chases them around the yard daily.

Now, about 5 days ago, my goose laid 2 eggs. I don't know much about geese and have never seen a broody bird before (this is my first full year with birds). Every night when I get home from work at 1130, both geese are still outside, so I know she isn't sitting on them consistently. Are the eggs going to still be good? Should I take them out and keep them cool until she is broody? I was kind of hoping she would take care of things on her own. Should I let her do her thing and not intervene?

This morning before work, I went to feed the birds, and again the goose and gander were out in the yard, however, she had taken the straw and made a big nest around the eggs and covered them with straw. I didn't check to see if she laid another one though. I think I am just going to leave her alone and hope the eggs are viable.

My concern is that one of two things may happen: either she will not feel comfortable sitting in the coop with the chickens and ducks trying to come in and out every night and won't sit on them. Or, she will sit on them and not allow the other birds to come in at night lol. I don't want to move her nest...

Who knew there was so much to geese! Its stressful! lol but I love it!

Thanks for any help/suggestions. Sorry for the long read...

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

Last fall a family friend dropped off two African Geese, male and female, at our house! I was thrilled, but really have no idea what I'm getting into. The goose randomly starting laying eggs in the middle of winter, which I quickly gathered. I live in Wisconsin and this past winter was not a nice one! I have a two room chicken coop. I have recently added 11 baby chicks to my flock, and put them in one room where the other 4 chickens (1 rooster and 3 hens) can see them. So that left the other room for the chickens to roost and lay in their boxes on the wall, and my 5 ducks and 2 geese to sleep at night. But since I moved the adult birds into one room, my geese do no go in at night. I think its because they are afraid of the rooster, who chases them around the yard daily.

Now, about 5 days ago, my goose laid 2 eggs. I don't know much about geese and have never seen a broody bird before (this is my first full year with birds). Every night when I get home from work at 1130, both geese are still outside, so I know she isn't sitting on them consistently. Are the eggs going to still be good? Should I take them out and keep them cool until she is broody? I was kind of hoping she would take care of things on her own. Should I let her do her thing and not intervene?

This morning before work, I went to feed the birds, and again the goose and gander were out in the yard, however, she had taken the straw and made a big nest around the eggs and covered them with straw. I didn't check to see if she laid another one though. I think I am just going to leave her alone and hope the eggs are viable.

My concern is that one of two things may happen: either she will not feel comfortable sitting in the coop with the chickens and ducks trying to come in and out every night and won't sit on them. Or, she will sit on them and not allow the other birds to come in at night lol. I don't want to move her nest...

Who knew there was so much to geese! Its stressful! lol but I love it!

Thanks for any help/suggestions. Sorry for the long read...

When my african starts laying, she will lay in a corner of the pen, not interested in setting, then after a while, she puts some pine shavings or straw areound the egg but not in a nest....then she will make a small nest....thats when I let her keep the eggs....now she has a large mound of feathers, pine shavings and dirt.....and eggs

 

[RiverRiser11]

WaterfowlWeirdo: When you say "I let her keep her eggs", what do you mean? Do you take them away? And then reintroduce them once she is sitting or close to it?
Also, will the eggs still be good? I would feel terrible if she was sitting for a month and then no babies hatched...

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

WaterfowlWeirdo: When you say "I let her keep her eggs", what do you mean? Do you take them away? And then reintroduce them once she is sitting or close to it?
Also, will the eggs still be good? I would feel terrible if she was sitting for a month and then no babies hatched...

I take them away until she kind of starts a nest then I let her have whatever she lays after that....I eat any egg that gets taken out of the pen from her

 

[RiverRiser11]

I take them away until she kind of starts a nest then I let her have whatever she lays after that....I eat any egg that gets taken out of the pen from her

Well she laid these two eggs about five days ago. Hasn't laid any since. I left them in there. I didn't want her to decide not to be broody because her eggs were suddenly gone lol.
I just went to the coop tonight after work and the geese were laying outside instead of in the coop. I dug in her covered nest and found the two eggs. It is clear that the 5 ducks have been walking on her nest. I feel bad I can't give her a better place I wish I knew what I needed before she started laying. I'm hoping she tidies it up and starts to sit soon!I feel like I'm doing this all wrong! Poor girl.
I have thought about getting rid of my rooster so she would feel more comfortable in the coop. Thoughts?

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

Well she laid these two eggs about five days ago. Hasn't laid any since. I left them in there. I didn't want her to decide not to be broody because her eggs were suddenly gone lol.
I just went to the coop tonight after work and the geese were laying outside instead of in the coop. I dug in her covered nest and found the two eggs. It is clear that the 5 ducks have been walking on her nest. I feel bad I can't give her a better place

I wish I knew what I needed before she started laying. I'm hoping she tidies it up and starts to sit soon!I feel like I'm doing this all wrong! Poor girl.
I have thought about getting rid of my rooster so she would feel more comfortable in the coop. Thoughts?

Mark the two eggs she has now and if she lays more, remove the 2 if you dont think they will hatch....Once she goes broody, if she is a good mom (or dad is protective) a duck wont get close enough to smell her haha....I had a quail get out of a pen today and out of fright it ran towards the nest(not knowing it was a nest, it just ran for cover) and my goose whipped around and hissed up a storm til it left.....She would have torn it up too and she is a docile goose

 

[IGmom]

What breed are these? BTW the male has recently gotten VERY nasty and aggressive.